VfL Bochum put in a strong performance to kick off the second half of the season. But there were two incidents that really got under Uwe Rösler’s skin.

Six goals – in VfL Bochum’s 3-3 draw against Darmstadt 98, the fans were treated to a real spectacle. It was never boring, and both coaches were satisfied with their teams’ performances.

For Uwe Rösler, coach of VfL Bochum, however, one scene in particular stuck in his mind, which he addressed at the post-match press conference. As is typical of the former pro, he didn’t mince words.

The bone of contention was the substitution of Felix Passlack in the 74th minute for Leandro Morgalla. Rösler explained: “The substitutes breathed new life into us; they brought quality. So I have to say that this was the first time I was disappointed. When Felix Passlack came on, there was criticism and booing from behind my bench. I expect respect here—he’s already done a lot for the club. He came on and played a great game; that really annoyed me. After the match, he was celebrated by the fans in the stands, and that was the right reaction. We’re in a relegation battle; we need every player—that’s the only way it works.”

Passlack even had the winning goal at his feet, but he only hit the post. If it were up to Rösler, a win against the “best team in transition play” would have been well deserved. “After preseason, I didn’t know exactly where we stood. But I saw 80 percent of what we set out to do executed well. I believe we were the better team.“

However, after the 3-3 tie, VfL failed to score again. Rösler was particularly frustrated by the goal that made it 2-3: ”That third goal really annoys me—we just weren’t paying attention. In the first 15 minutes of the game, we also failed to stop the crosses coming in from our left side. After the break, that worked better, but the third goal we conceded was avoidable.”

In the end, it was only enough for a 3-3 draw, partly due to the opponent’s strong performance. D98 coach Florian Kohfeldt summed it up: “We had six crystal-clear chances that came from our structure. I really liked that, and it should give us courage and confidence for the coming weeks. The first game after a break is always special. Now we’ve experienced all the ups and downs right away—that should help us get back into the rhythm.”